State Rep. Toure Honored Along I-35 (Oct 14, 2010) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A former state lawmaker will be honored with the dedication of a portion of an interstate near his old district. Part of Interstate 35 in Oklahoma City that runs between N.E. 23rd Street and I-40 will be renamed the "State Representative Opio Toure Memorial Highway" during a ceremony Friday.A Democrat, Toure served 12 years in the Oklahoma House. He was a staunch opponent of the death penalty and pushed legislation to prevent the execution of mentally retarded defendants and those under the age of 18. Toure also sponsored a bill signed into law that allows citizens who are convicted and imprisoned for crimes they did not commit to apply for up to $175,000 in compensation.Toure died in 2008 at the age of 53. « back |